Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers

Puppet Showplace’s Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers seeks to diversify representation on our stage and in our field by investing in creative research and early-stage production development by Black puppeteers from Greater Boston and from across the country. Learn about the 2025 cohort here →

Applications for the 2026 Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers will open on October 14!

Sign up to receive updates about the program here.

About the Program     

Puppet Showplace Theater seeks proposals from emerging and early-career artists interested in exploring the art of puppetry, for the fifth year of this residency program! 

Puppet Showplace Theater is offering five $1,000 grants to Black artists to support the research and development of original puppetry work. Starting in January 2025, this year’s residency will include:

• Monthly group gatherings over Zoom (Second Tuesday of each Month), to discuss work and collectively assist with progress. 

• Guest seminars, geared toward the group’s needs. 

• Individual work sessions with Project Mentor Charlotte Lily Gaspard. 

• Additional support from Tanya Nixon-Silberg, returning as Community Curator.

• Creative feedback from the Artistic Team of Puppet Showplace Theater

Together, our team will facilitate community-building among members of the cohort to create a supportive environment, where works-in-progress are shared. Puppet Showplace Theater will close the residency in June 2025 by hosting a public sharing (virtual), celebrating grantees’ progress.

Proposed Projects

Projects may be at any stage of development and incorporate any form of puppetry. They may be geared toward adult, child, family, student, or other community-based audiences. Projects may be intended for a variety of presenting contexts; including traditional stages, classrooms, outdoor settings, video platforms, installation settings, parades, or protests. 

Artists may approach any subject matter that they wish to explore through puppetry; including, but not limited to: history, politics, fantasy, memoir, folklore, traditions, contemporary issues, or even abstract explorations. Puppetry is a multidisciplinary form, so funds may be used for any purpose that advances the artist’s expression and process (e.g. the purchase of materials, research time, design work, building, devising, writing, rehearsing, or reflecting.)

Selection Criteria

The cohort will be chosen by a jury of puppetry and performance professionals. Our aim is to select a diverse array of projects and puppetry forms, with artists who will benefit from this residency program. We will evaluate:

• The clarity, originality, and achievability of the project (even if part of a bigger whole).

• The project’s potential to strengthen the artist’s practice and create much needed affinity spaces in and through puppetry. 

• The feasibility for the artist to engage in project-related development and residency activities during January - June 2025. 

• Family Artist: At least one grant award will be designated for the development of a family puppet show.

• New England Artist: At least one grant award will be designated for an artist living or working in New England.

If you have questions or would like to discuss a proposal in advance of applying, please reach out to Ash Winkfield at ash@puppetshowplace.org.

Artists from across the US are encouraged to apply.

Apply for the Residency

Applications for the 2026 Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers will open on October 14!

Application Questions

Download a pdf of the questions or make a copy of this Google Doc version.

Apply by Video

If you prefer, you may submit a video of yourself answering the questions instead of a written statement. If you choose this option, please notify Ash at ash@puppetshowplace.org and upload the video to this dropbox.

Meet the Team

Fund this initiative

If you would like to help support future grantees, we welcome contributions to this initiative. You can donate by clicking the button, or mailing a check to Puppet Showplace Theater, 32 Station Street, Brookline, MA 02445 with “Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers” in the memo.